The present invention relates to a nasal applicator and to a dispenser device including such an applicator for dispensing a fluid or a powder substance into the nose. More particularly, the invention relates to an applicator of the type suitable for defining the direction in which the substance is dispensed into the nostril of the user.
Nasal dispenser devices are widespread in a variety of uses. Every one of such devices includes a head incorporating a substance-dispensing orifice, at least a portion of said head being designed to be inserted into the nostril of the user for the purpose of dispensing the substance. The user then actuates the device to expel a measured dose of substance into the nostril.
In certain uses, in particular in the field of pharmacy, the substances dispensed by nasal dispenser devices can be costly and/or must be measured out very accurately. It is therefore important to obtain the maximum effect from the dose of substance dispensed into the nostril each time the dispenser is actuated.
Currently, most nasal dispenser devices expel the dose of substance in a direction that is very substantially parallel to the nasal septum, towards the superior turbinate bone of the nostril.
Unfortunately, for certain substances, in particular in the field of pharmacy, the most effective portion for assimilating the substance is constituted by the inferior turbinate bone of the nostril.
In an attempt to solve that problem, some commercially-available dispensers are provided with pushers (or dispenser heads) that slope. Unfortunately, that type of sloping pusher is complicated and expensive to manufacture, in particular as regards molding. In addition, the effectiveness of such pushers is not guaranteed. Furthermore, the use of a sloping (or curved) pusher requires an expulsion channel that is quite long and prevents the use of internal nozzles. Internal nozzles offer many advantages. In particular, there is no danger of them becoming detached from the pusher (unlike external nozzles), and they make it possible to minimize effectively the unused volume inside the pusher.
Document FR-2 739 294 discloses such a sloping head. That document further discloses the use of a safety applicator designed to limit the portion of applicator penetrating into the nasal cavity to a predetermined length, in order to avoid any damaging contact between the applicator and the mucus membranes of the nostril.
An object of the present invention is to provide an applicator and a nasal dispenser device that do not reproduce the above-mentioned drawbacks.
More particularly, an object of the present invention is to provide a nasal applicator that makes it possible, on actuating the device, to dispense the substance into that zone of the nasal fossa in which the substance is assimilated most effectively.
An object of the present invention is also to provide such a nasal dispenser device that does not suffer from the drawbacks of sloping or curved pushers.
An object of the present invention is also to provide a nasal dispenser device of the above-mentioned type that is simple and low-cost to manufacture and to assemble. This applies particularly in certain particular uses in which the nasal dispenser device is designed to expel only a very small number of doses of substance.
An object of the present invention is also to provide such a nasal dispenser device that is simple and reliable for any user to use.
The present invention thus provides a nasal applicator suitable for co-operating with a head of a nasal dispenser device for dispensing a fluid or powder substance into the nose, said head being designed to be inserted at least in part into a nostril when the device is actuated, said nasal applicator being characterized in that said applicator co-operates with the end of the head, said applicator being provided with a bearing piece that extends substantially transversely to the direction in which the substance is dispensed, said bearing piece being suitable for coming to bear under the nostril against the top lip of the user so as to define an insertion angle at which said head is inserted into the nostril.
In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, said applicator includes a ring that can fitted around the end of the head, said bearing piece being connected to said ring.
Advantageously, said applicator includes a hollow cylinder designed to be fitted around said end of the head, said bearing piece being connected to one end of said cylinder.
Preferably, the length of said cylinder determines the depth to which the head penetrates into the nostril, said bearing piece forming an abutment under the nostril to, prevent said head from penetrating any deeper.
In a first variant of the present invention, said bearing piece on said applicator is implemented in the form of a substantially rectangular thin plate having an edge which has a profile suitable for bearing against the top lip of the user.
In a second variant embodiment, said bearing piece of said applicator is implemented substantially in the form of a disk having an edge portion that has a profile suitable for bearing against the top lip, and an opposite edge portion having a profile suitable for bearing against the nose of the user.
The present invention also provides a nasal dispenser device for dispensing a fluid or powder substance into the nose, said device including a dispenser member on which a head provided with a dispenser orifice is mounted, the end of said head being designed to be inserted at least in part in a nostril when the device is actuated, said device being characterized in that it includes an applicator according to any one of claims.
Advantageously, said head includes a cylindrical end provided with the dispenser orifice, said applicator including a hollow cylinder fitted around said cylindrical end of the head by being engaged to an abutment shoulder disposed such that the end of said cylinder is situated substantially at said dispenser orifice.
In a variant embodiment of the present invention, said applicator is an integral part of or is fixed to said head.
In another variant embodiment of the present invention, said applicator is separate and is mounted on said head.
Preferably, said applicator and/or said head is/are provided with means for determining the angular position of said applicator relative to said head.